Composing copy layout table and cutting device



United States Patent Inventor Francis S. Szabo Elizabeth, New Jersey Appl. No. 742,012

Filed July 2, 1968 Patented Oct. 6, 1970 Assignee Varityper Corporation Newark, New Jersey a corporation of Delaware COMPOSING COPY LAYOUT TABLE AND CUTTING DEVICE 14 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 83/455, 83/485, 83/520, 83/561, 83/614, 83/648 Int. Cl 826d 7/02, 826d 1/18 Field of Search 83/455,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,161,773 11/1915 J0hns0n etal 3 439 1,235,459 7/1917 Gaffney 83 455 1,434,475 11/1922 Austin 83/455 1,541,155 6/1925 Kroesen 83/485X 1,622,053 3/1927 Rounds 83/520X 2,444,723 7/1948 Bowen 83/520 3,213,736 10/1965 Keeton 83/4 5 Primary Examiner-James M. Meister AImr/zey- Russell L. Root and Ray S. Pyle ABSTRACT: A composing copy layout table comprising support means in the form of a light table with a work surface through which light may be transmitted. Cutting means are associated with the support and may be positioned in contact with the work surface when material thereon is to be cut and positioned out of the plane of such surface when not in use. A paper holddown may be associated with the cutting means, and a scale may be provided on the support to facilitate measurement and cutting ofcopy or other such material,

Patented Oct. 6, 1970 3,532,018

A'T'TORNE Y Patented Oct. 6,1970

0 Y mm 5 m av 5 T mm A C.

M M m COMPOSING COPY LAYOUT TABLE AND CUTTING DEVICE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally as indicated to a composing copy layout table, and more particularly to such a table which has cutting means associated therewith to enhance its overall utility.

Lightboxes or tables have been used extensively for many years in the graphic arts and other fields. Such tables include a source of illumination which projects light through a planar work surface so that the copy or other material thereon may be arranged for tracing or layout work.

The light tables which have been previously known, however, have not included means to cut the copy or other such material, which is commonly necessary when composition work, such as that done in the graphic arts, is being undertaken. With such tables, it is necessary to place the copy on the planar surface, mark or otherwise note the area to be cut, and subsequently take the copy to a paper cutter and make the cut. Such a procedure is extremely time consuming and also requires a degree of skill to make certain that the cut is made in the proper place.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a copy layout table which includes means to cut copy or other reference material without removing such material from the work surface.

It is also quite desirable to have a layout table in which a grid work or other frame of reference may be securely positioned for composing work without actually contacting the workpiece, since the reference material frequently tends to follow the workpiece when the workpiece is removed from the surface due to static electricity or the creation of a low-pressure" effect. It is thus an additional object of the present invention to provide a layout table in which the work surface is composed of a plurality of plates so that reference material may be placed between the top plate and the next lower plate and hence held in a fixed position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a layout table in which the cutting means may be moved out of contact with the work surface and out of the operator's way when not in use.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a copy layout table in which a paper holddown is associated with the cutting means to facilitate use of the cutting device.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a copy layout table in which a scale is included to facilitate measurement and cutting of copy.

Yet another object is the provision of a paper cutting device which may be used independently of the layout table.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the an after a reading of the following more detailed description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the layout table with the cutting means in a position of use;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the layout table with the cutting means not in use;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the cutting means raised slightly above the surface of the layout table; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to FIG. 3 taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the layout table is represented generally by the numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes a support means in the form of a shell or lightbox 2 having a work surface 3 thereon. The work surface includes two sections 4 and 5 which are separated by a metallic strip 6 which is secured to the support means by screws 7 and extends laterally across the width of the box. The support means also includes a top frame 8 which extends around the upper periphery thereof and beyond the one end, as shown, and is secured to the shell 2 by a plurality of screws 9. A scale 10 is also provided along the top frame to facilitate measurement and cutting of copy.

A cutting device is designated generally by the numeral 15 and includes a rod 16 which extends through the projecting ends of frame 8 and has brackets 17 and 18 connected to the ends of the rod beyond the frame. A cutter arm 19 is pivotally mounted on the rod 16 by means of the bushing shown and is movable laterally thereon across the width of the table.

An offset bar 20 is trunnion mounted in aligned eye brackets shown secured to the distal ends of brackets 17 and 18. A paper holddown 21 of transparent plastic or other such material is secured to the bar 20. The paper holddown 21 facilitates the cutting operation, and has a scale thereon, as shown, to further facilitate measurement and cutting. A pair of leaf springs 22 and 23 are also connected to the bar 20 to position the paper holddown 21 by resilient support in a normally slightly raised position to clear the paper 25 as it is moved therebeneath.

The paper holddown preferably extends across the full width of the cutting area and has a notch 26 adjacent one end to allow the cutter arm 19 to clear the holddown. In this manner the holddown may be raised for ease of insertion of paper. The edge of the notch also prevents the cutter arm from sliding on rod 16 when not in use. To make a cut, the holddown 21 is pushed against the paper and held thereagainst to keep the paper in position while the cutter arm is moved along rod 16.

In FIG. 1, the cutter arm 19 is illustrated in contact with the surface of the work table in its position of use. As can be seen, the paper 25 is positioned underneath the paper holddown 21 and on top of strip 6. The cutter arm 19 can then be moved across the width of the paper to cut at the desired position.

In FIG. 2, the cutting means is shown in the position it is in when not being used, cutter arm 19 being adjacent the one end of the copy table and out of the way of the operator when using the table for normal composition work. The surface of the table can be seen as being divided into the aforenoted two sections 4 and 5 with the strip 6 separating the two. It will also be noted that, as seen more clearly in FIGS. 3 and 5, the surface 5 is slightly lower than the surface 4 to facilitate cutting of copy, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

The layout table includes means of illumination, such as a standard light source within the box. Since the source of illumination is standard and can be any of those previously known, it is not illustrated herein. A switch 27 is provided to turn on or off the source ofillumination.

In FIG. 3, the details of the cutting means are shown. The cutter arm 19 has a cavity 30 therein in which a rotary blade 31 is mounted on stud 32 which is spring loaded in the bore at the rear side of the cavity as shown at 33. The blade 31 is held in position by a pair of thrust bearings and lock washers 34 on opposite sides thereof and snap ring 35. Due to such construction, it will be appreciated that the blade can easily be assembled and disassembled for replacement when necessary. A guide plate 36 is mounted on the lower surface of the cutter arm and contacts strip 6 and slides thereon as the cutter arm is moved laterally across the surface of the table,thus maintaining blade 31 in a vertical position while the paper is being cut.

The cutting means 15 also includes a cutting plate 40, which is attached by screws 41 between the brackets 17 and 18 slightly spaced from the ends thereof. The cutting plate 40 is positioned during use such that its surface is in substantial alignment with the upper surface 4 of the table and has a cutting edge 42 which cooperates with blade 31, the face of the latter being kept tight against such edge by the pressure of spring 33. Because the cutting plate is aligned with the upper surface of the table, it is possible simply to slide the copy into appropriate position for cutting without lifting it from the work surface, which greatly facilitates measurement and cutting.

As can be observed from FIGS. 3 and 5, guide plate 36 is out of contact with plate 40 when the cutting means is in its position of use, but contacts the same as cutter arm 19 is raised from the surface of the table. The cutter arm thus functions as a convenient handle to move the cutting means out of the plane of the work surface.

Also as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the work surface is composed of a transparent plate 45, illustrated as being glass, and an underlying diffusion plate 46 which is of a translucent plastic or the conventional ground glass, to provide a diffusion of the light prior to transmission through the work surface.

The plate 45 is separable from plate 46 and may be raised in conventional manner, as for example about a pivot rod (not shown) to provide for the convenient insertion or removal of reference material between the transparent and diffusion plates. Because the plates 45 and 46 are in contact with one another, a frame of reference can be securely positioned for composition and is out of contact with the workpiece whereby the possibility of the reference material following the workpiece when the workpiece is removed is eliminated. The diffusion plate is supported at the sides of the table within the box 2 by conventional supporting means, which are not shown, as for example metal ridges, brackets, etc. The top frame 8 serves as a guide retainer so that the plate 45 will not move laterally with respect to the plate 46.

Although the cutting means has been described in association with the layout table, it will be appreciated that such device can be used independently of the table in which case the support will be as illustrated and described except for the work surface which need not be capable of having light transmitted therethrough.

I claim: I. A composing copy layout table comprising a support with a work surface capable of having light transmitted therethrough, including two sections, the surface of one section being slightly lower than the other, and a strip connected to said support means extending thereacross and separating said sections, and cutting means pivotally connected to said support, whereby said cutting means may be operatively positioned with respect to said work surface when copy thereon is to be cut and positioned adjacent one end of said support out of the plane of said work surface when not in use, said cutting means comprising a rod attached to said support and a cutter arm pivotally mounted on said rod adapted to be moved thereon laterally of said support.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent ofsuch, be employed.

2. The layout table of claim 1 in which said cutting means includes brackets attached to the ends of said rod and a cutting plate extending between and secured to said brackets adapted to be positioned above said strip in substantial alignment with said work surface when said cutting means is thus operatively positioned with respect to said work surface, whereby copy on said work surface may be moved toward said cutting arm without being lifted free ofsaid work surface.

3. The layout table of claim 1 in which said work surface has a scale on one edge thereof to facilitate measurement and cutting of copy.

4. The copy layout table of claim 1 in which a guide plate is secured to the underside of said cutter arm out of contact with said rotary blade and adapted to slide on said strip as said cutter arm is moved across said layout table said guide plate dimensioned to maintain said blade in a vertical position during cuttin 5. The Tayout table of claim 1 in which said cutting means include brackets attached to the ends of said rod and a cutting plate extending between and secured to said brackets positioned above said strip in substantial alignment with said work surface when said cutter arm is thus operatively positioned with respect to said work surface;

a bar extending between said brackets and a transparent paper holddown secured to said bar; and

spring means are connected to said bar to position said paper holddown in a normally slightly raised position with respect to said work surface when said cutting means is in operative position thereon, and said paper holddown has a notch adjacent one end thereof to permit said holddown to clear said cutter arm.

6. A composing copy layout table comprising a support with a work surface comprising two sections capable of having light transmitted therethrough, the surface of one of said sections being slightly lower than the other, and cutting means pivotally connected to said support, said cutting means comprising a rod attached to said support, a cutter arm pivotally mounted on said rod adapted to be moved thereon laterally of said support, a metallic strip connected to said support extending thereacross and separating said two sections, brackets attached to the ends of said rod in a cutting plate extending between said brackets and secured thereto, said cutting plate adapted to be positioned above said strip in substantial alignment with the upper section of said work surface when said cutting means is in contact with said work surface.

7. The layout table of claim 6 in which said work surface comprises an upper transparent plate in contact with a translucent bottom plate.

8. The layout table of claim 7 in which said upper transparent plate is separable from said translucent bottom plate, whereby copy may be inserted or removed between said upper and bottom plates.

9. The layout table of claim 6 in which a rotary blade is spring loaded within said cutter arm.

10. The layout table of claim 9 in which a guide plate is secured to the underside of said cutter arm out of contact with said rotary blade and adapted to slide on said strip as said cutter arm is moved across said layout table.

11. A paper cutting device comprising a support with a work surface, cutting means pivotally connected to said support, whereby said cutting means may be operatively positioned with respect to said work surface when paper thereon is to be cut and positioned adjacent one end of said support out of the plane of said work surface when not in use, said work surface including two sections, the surface of one section being slightly lower than the other, a metallic strip extending across said work surface and separating said two sections, said cutting means comprising a rod attached to said support and a cutter arm pivotally mounted on said rod adapted to be moved thereon laterally across said support.

12. The cutting device of claim 11 in which said cutting means includes brackets attached to the ends of said rod and a cutting plate extending between and secured to said brackets adapted to be positioned above said strip in substantial alignment with said work surface when said cutting means is in contact with said surface.

13. The cutting device of claim 12 in which a bar extends between said brackets and is secured thereto and a trans parent paper holddown is secured to said bar.

14. The cutting device of claim 12 in which said cutter arm includes a rotary blade spring loaded therewithin and a guide plate is secured to the underside of said cutter arm out of contact with said rotary blade and adapted to slide on said strip as said cutter arm is moved across said work surface to maintain said blade in a vertical position during cutting. 

